Dr. Jeffrey Rawlings specializes in plastic surgery. He obtained his medical school training at Medical College of Georgia and performed his residency at a hospital affiliated with Medical College of Georgia. Areas of expertise for Dr. Rawlings include eyelid surgery, dermabrasion, and mini tummy tuck. The average patient rating for Dr. Rawlings is 4.5 stars out of 5. He accepts Blue Cross/Blue Shield, BlueOptions, and Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO, in addition to other insurance carriers.

Dr. Larry Harper's medical specialty is plastic surgery. His areas of expertise include the following: eyelid surgery, dermabrasion, and mini tummy tuck. Dr. Harper is in-network for Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield EPO, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Bronze, in addition to other insurance carriers. He attended medical school at the University of Florida College of Medicine. He is professionally affiliated with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Capital Regional Medical Center.

Dr. Alfredo Paredes' medical specialty is plastic surgery. Dr. Paredes is rated 5.0 stars out of 5 by his patients. These areas are among his clinical interests: eyelid surgery, dermabrasion, and mini tummy tuck. He honors United Healthcare Compass, United Healthcare Navigate, and United Healthcare HSA, in addition to other insurance carriers. He attended Emory University School of Medicine and subsequently trained at a hospital affiliated with Emory University for residency. In addition to English, he speaks Spanish. Dr. Paredes is affiliated with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.

When you hear the words “plastic surgeon,” you might call to mind actresses with outlandish body proportions or aging stars with surreal facial features. Plastic surgery to alter appearance is referred to as “aesthetic” or “cosmetic” surgery. As is the case with celebrities, cosmetic surgery is often performed to change the appearance of a feature that a patient has always disliked, or to prevent changes from happening due to aging. However, cosmetic surgery can also restore appearance after an injury or illness -- when a medical condition leaves a physical mark that makes a patient look different, it can be very upsetting. Cosmetic plastic surgery gives patients more control over how they look.

But plastic surgery is about much more than changing someone's appearance. Plastic surgery is also about changing the form and function of the body, and often that means restoring what has been lost to injury or illness. A body part can lose its ability to function (meaning, for example, to move, grip, protect underlying tissues, or feel sensation) to many causes. Some common ones are burns, infections, injuries (e.g. from car accidents), illnesses (such as cancer), problems present from birth (such as cleft palate), or even scar tissue from previous surgeries. When plastic surgery is used to repair a damaged part, it is called “reconstructive surgery.” Reconstructive procedures restore the abilities of the patient so that they can use their body in as normal and healthy a way as possible.

Plastic surgeons are experts at safely moving tissue from one part of the body to another, using microsurgery techniques to reconnect the tiny blood vessels and nerves. They use these skills not only to improve appearance (cosmetic surgery), but also to repair damaged body parts (reconstructive surgery).

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What is Breast Reconstruction?

Breast reconstruction is surgery to restore the appearance of the breast, usually after a mastectomy. The choice of how to proceed after the removal of a breast is a deeply personal one, with some women opting to wear a prosthetic form in a bra, and others choosing to embrace their new breastless form as a reminder of their strength and survival. Those options are perfectly acceptable, but many women feel most comfortable with their missing breast tissue surgically replaced. Breast reconstruction can be part of a patient’s return to normal after experiencing breast cancer.

There are a few different methods used to create the round shape of the breast on the chest. A flap of fat, skin, and muscle can be taken from the side, abdomen or buttock and implanted on the chest to create a breast from the patient’s own tissue. Alternatively, the skin over the chest may be gradually stretched to allow for the placement of an implant. Stretching of the skin is done using expanders, which are similar to breast implants, except they increase in size when saltwater solution is injected into them. Many women also choose to combine the flap procedure with implant placement to achieve their desired result. Once the new breast shape is formed, a nipple can be created and even tattooed to match the other side.

Reconstruction may be done in a single surgery or broken up into multiple procedures:

Immediate reconstruction rebuilds the breast right after mastectomy. This method is not recommended if additional chemotherapy or radiation is needed after surgery.

Delayed reconstruction occurs after chemotherapy or radiation has been given. These treatments may decrease the volume or alter the color of the reconstructed breast, so they should be completed before the breast is rebuilt. This type of reconstruction may happen weeks, months, or even years after mastectomy.

Staged reconstruction splits the reconstructive process into two parts. The first part inserts temporary expanders to stretch the skin and is done immediately after breast removal surgery. The second part replaces the expanders with implants after chemotherapy or radiation treatments have been given.

Breast reconstruction is not perfect. The two breasts may not always look exactly identical, although they will be close. There may be small scars, and a loss of sensation in the reconstructed breast. A reconstructed breast will not produce milk, so you may have trouble breastfeeding. Still, reconstruction is a great option for women who want that part of their appearance back.